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Laba Festival
emointhekitchen People have been celebrating the Laba Festival, also known as the Laba Rice Porridge Festival, for centuries in China. It falls on the eighth day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar, which usually falls in January or February of the Gregorian calendar. Besides eating Laba congee, the Laba Festival also involves various religious and cultural activities. Many visit temples and pagodas to pray for a bountiful harvest, good health, and prosperity. Some temples even hold special ceremonies and performances to commemorate the festival. People observe some traditional customs and traditions throughout the festival. People may decorate their homes with red lanterns and paper cut-outs to ward off…
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Stroganoff
emointhekitchen Stroganoff is a classic Russian dish that has gained popularity around the world. Traditionally made with beef, onions or shallots, garlic, mushrooms, wine and sour cream, this dish is rich, creamy and full of flavour. I made this vegetarian version. History They named the dish after one member of the influential Stroganoff family. Beginning in the second half of the 15th century, the Stroganoff family has been part of the country’s business, administrative and military elite. A legend attributes its invention to French chefs working for the family, but several refined versions of older Russian dishes. Elena Molokhovets’s (1831 – 1918)classic Russian cookbook A Gift to Young Housewives gives…
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Sweet potato & Kuchinashi (Gardenia) fruit
emointhekitchen October is the season for harvesting sweet potatoes. Not only are they more affordable, but when the weather gets colder, I find myself craving these foods more and more. The sweet taste is irresistibly delicious. It’s easy to make, so please try it. Next up Kuchinashi (Gardenia) fruit grows wild throughout Japan. They harvest fruits from October to December. Since ancient times, people have used this fruit not only as a dye and to colour food but also for its effectiveness as an herbal medicine. When used in Chinese medicine, it is called Shān zhī zi (山梔子). Gardenia fruit is characterized by not cracking even when ripe, and there…
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Edamame beans
emointhekitchen History Soybeans (edamame beans) were first cultivated in China some 7000 years ago. The place of origin is said to be East Asia and China. It is said that it was already eaten in its present form during the Nara and Heian periods. The term dates from the year 1275, when the Japanese monk Nichiren wrote a note thanking a parishioner for the gift of “edamame” he had left at the temple. In 1406, during the Ming dynasty in China, the leaves of the soybeans were eaten and during outbreaks of famine, it was recommended that citizens eat the beans whole or use them ground up and added to…
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Layered pancake salad
emointhekitchen Armenia, a small country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia, is home to some of the most delicious food you will ever taste. One of their most popular dishes is the layered meat and egg pancake. This dish is made with a thin dough that is filled with ground meat, eggs, and vegetables, then fried or baked. The pancake is a perfect example of Armenian cuisine – it is healthy, hearty, and absolutely delicious. If you ever have the chance to visit Armenia, be sure to try this dish. You won’t be disappointed. You will need: four pancakes 200 g of ground beef 2 onions a cup of water…
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Fried with lion’s mane mushroom
emointhekitchen Lion’s mane mushrooms (Hericium erinaceus) are a type of edible fungi that are native to China. They have a long history of use in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and they are becoming increasingly popular in the West as a culinary ingredient. Lion’s mane mushrooms have a distinctive appearance, with long, shaggy white “hair” that resembles a lion’s mane. They have a mild, earthy flavour and a firm, meaty texture. When cooked, they can be used in a variety of dishes, from soups and stews to stir-fries and even pasta. If you’re looking for a unique ingredient to add to your next meal, try lion’s mane mushrooms. You’ll be sure to…
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Mushrooms – Part Two
emointhekitchen Coriolus (Coriolus versicolor, Trametes versicolor, outkovka pestrá, Turkey Tail Mushroom, Chinese Yun Zhi (云芝), Japanese Kawaratake) is a wood-decaying mushroom, which belongs to the Polyporaceae. Coriolus grows throughout the entire year and can be found predominantly on the living wounded and dead stumps of deciduous trees in the mild climate belt of Asia, North America and Europe. Sporocarps of the fungus are fan-shaped, hence the English name, and they form clusters, which are roof-shaped. The cap itself has a diameter of about 2-8 cm and it has typical beige strips on brown or grey background, the surface of the cap velvety. Yun Zhi is a cloud-shaped fungus that grows…
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Aubergine with kudzu
emointhekitchen The place of origin of aubergine is in the eastern part of India. In India, people have cultivated it since prehistoric times. Then to China and Myanmar around the 5th century. It was introduced to Europe in the 13th century. Mapo aubergine is a type of Chinese food that is “fish-flavoured aubergine” (魚香茄子) in Japanese, one of Sichuan cuisine. The decisive factor in the taste of aubergine is the perfect balance between the fragrant and soft aubergine and the thick soy meat. The trick to deep frying Chinese food is to fry it at a high temperature for a short period of time. We need: baby aubergine soy meat…
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Laba congee
emointhekitchen So, on December 30, 2022, the days fly by so, fast and in the blink of an eye, Laba Festival is here again. Porridge is indispensable, it adds all kinds of beans and rice to the boil, which is fragrant! Laba Festival, commonly known as “Laba”, is the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. The ancients had a tradition of offering sacrifices to ancestors and gods and praying for a good harvest. In some areas, there was a custom of drinking Laba porridge. According to legend, this day is also the day when the Buddha Sakyamuni became enlightened. It is called the “Dharma Treasure Festival” and is one…
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Sweet potato
emointhekitchen There is a story that in 1498 when Columbus discovered the Americas, he brought sweet potatoes back to Spain and presented them to Queen Isabella. Since then, sweet potatoes are said to have been brought to Japan around 1612, as they were treasured around the world as a salvage crop because they can be easily cultivated even in rough land. Its nutritional value is characterized by its high vitamin C content and high dietary fibre content. Let’s imagine “Satsumaimo”, which is famous in Japanese cuisine. I recommend a dish made by cooling and solidifying seasonal sweet potatoes and kudzu. You will need: 50g sweet potato (mashed) 50g Kudzu powder…
